


Silver Linings

by queen_scribbles



Series: Astrid Hawke Canon [5]
Category: Dragon Age II
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-04
Updated: 2017-07-04
Packaged: 2018-11-23 09:58:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,261
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11400237
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/queen_scribbles/pseuds/queen_scribbles
Summary: The saying goes that every cloud has a silver lining, but Astrid never intended to test it quite so thoroughly





	Silver Linings

One of the things Astrid had always prided herself on, that made her think she could handle the viscount title, was her incredibly long fuse. She had her faults, she'd be the first to admit that, but impatience and quick-temperedness were not among them.  
  
Except today. Today she'd spent too large a portion of the previous night sleepless and staring at the ceiling to tolerate Kirkwall's bullshit. They were just far enough past the Chantry explosion for some of the complaints crossing her desk to be sufficiently mundane and petty she wanted to light the whole mess on fire.

  
"They're lucky I've never been good with fire spells," she muttered, closing her eyes briefly as she stretched and rubbed the back of her neck.  
  
"That bad a day, lass?"  
  
Astrid jolted, ice flaring briefly around her hand. "Maker, don't _do_ that!"  
  
Sebastian was grinning when she opened her eyes. "Sorry. Just bad timin'. Ev'rything alright? You've been jumpy since we got back from the Vimmark Mountains."  
  
"I'm fine," she waved him off, slightly piqued that he'd noticed--even though it really shouldn't have surprised her. "Just... tired. Both physically and mentally, thanks to my city." Astrid sighed and rubbed her temples. "That stubbornness that kept us going? Also a bad thing, sometimes."  
  
Sebastian's smile turned sympathetic as he rounded the desk. "Almost the inverse of every cloud havin' a silver linin', hm?"  
  
Astrid stood as he leaned back against the edge of her desk. "Every silver lining requires a cloud, or something like that?"  
  
"Something like that," Sebastian echoed, quiet laugh rumbling in his chest as he pulled her into a hug, hands rubbing her back, seeking to undo the inevitable tension of her position.   
  
"So, what's the silver lining for this cloud?" she asked, voice muffled in the crook of his neck.  
  
"A city that can withstand anythin', for starters." He kissed the top of her head.  
  
"I like the sound of _for starters,_ " Astrid hinted, shifting to hook her arms around his neck and shoot him a teasing smile.  
  
Which he met with one of his own. "I was plannin' tae just come see how you were doin', but if your day's been that bad, perhaps I should steal you away early. An' I can feel how tense you are, so don't bother with tryin' tae convince me it's no' that bad."  
  
Astrid's smile turned sheepish. "You know what? Today I think I'll let you. I need food, a backrub, and a moment's peace, not necessarily in that order."  
  
Sebastian chuckled. "I believe I can help with that."  
  
"Well, then..." She straightened the papers on her desk and shucked the viscount's robe, hanging it on the back of the door and giving the hem of her shirt an adjusting tug. "After you, love."  
  
He shook his head and offered his arm. "Together." He waited for her to link her arm through his before he started walking.  
  
"Having any luck with Starkhaven?" Astrid asked, mostly because it was the first thing that came to mind.  
  
"Not yet," Sebastian sighed, holding the door open for her. "The people serving as Goran's advisers won't budge from their claim that they need a better show why they should support me rather than him."  
  
Astrid snorted. "Because it's _your throne_. And you'd make a fine ruler. I haven't listened to you spend _years_ worrying about what's best for the people of Starkhaven just for some power-hungry sycophants to dismiss you out of hand- What?"  
  
He grinned wide enough for his eyes to crinkle at the corners. "Nice tae know _you,_ at least, still believe in me."  
  
"Always." She kissed his cheek. "There's _your_ silver lining."  
  
"An' it's worth all the clouds in creation." He stopped her to claim a proper kiss before they continued into the private wing of the keep.  
  
>|<  
  
She wasn't sure what sort of magic it took, but by the time they reached Astrid's private library--her favorite room in the whole keep and Sebastian's very deliberate destination--there was a small spread of food laid out for two. And with the door closed behind them, she immediately felt the weight of the city drop from her shoulders. Even knowing there were servants very likely just outside the door, the sense of privacy and freedom was profound, and she very nearly knocked Sebastian off his feet expressing her gratitude.  
  
He returned the enthusiastic kiss with a gentle one of his own. "If y' still need it, we'll see tae the backrub after dinner."  
  
"Have I mentioned recently how much I love you? Because it's an awful, awful lot."  
  
"I love you, too. An awful, awful lot," Sebastian replied, escorting her to one of the chairs and getting her settled before sitting himself.  
  
The meal was eaten in bursts of light-hearted conversation heavily sprinkled with comfortable silence. By the end of it, Astrid felt herself relaxing, or at least starting to. There was still enough tension in her shoulders to rival Sebastian's bowstring, a fact that did not escape his notice. And so, when they finished eating, he tugged her over to the sofa by the fireplace and started working at the knots strung between her shoulder blades. A low, sing-song sigh escaped her as the first of them loosened, but otherwise, she didn't make a sound. She was too busy mentally cataloguing all the things she loved about Sebastian, all that she still needed to do for Kirkwall, trying to figure a way around his latest obstacle to reclaiming Starkhaven, adding a couple more things to the first list, until-  
  
"I don't want to wait anymore." Astrid didn't realize she'd said it out loud until Sebastian's hands stilled on her shoulders. "To get married," she clarified, turning to face him. "I think it would be far more advantageous for us both to do it sooner. Being married to the viscountess of Kirkwall could strengthen your bid for Starkhaven, my marrying a Vael would calm some of my detractors, even more so if we can... produce an heir quickly..." Her list trailed off as she saw how he was smiling at her. A small, knowing smile that shone more intensely from his eyes than the rest of his face. "What?"  
  
"And the real reason is...?" he prodded.  
  
" _That_ , right there," she caved. "You know me too well, I love you too much, I've already waited three years, and I don't _want_ to wait until you can give me a _prince_. I just want _you_. You're who I fell in love with, you're who I want, and... I'm feeling very impatient today."  
  
Sebastian actually laughed, cupping the side of her face with one hand as he leaned forward til their foreheads met. "How do I say no tae such a thorough and well thought out list?"  
  
"You don't," Astrid whispered. "You say yes, we get married somewhere in the next week-"  
  
"Month," he countered.  
  
"Two weeks," she conceded.  
  
"You drive a hard bargain," he complained softly, smile belying his tone.  
  
"Yes, I do. And I can be a relentless nag. Surrender now and save yourself the trouble."  
  
"As Your Grace commands," Sebastian chuckled. "On one condition: we seal it with a kiss."  
  
"Deal," Astrid said, rocking forward to do exactly that as soon as the word had left her mouth. It was a good kiss, the fingers-tangled-in-hair, leave-you-breathless kind, that they didn't share nearly often enough in her opinion. This, however, this warranted one.  
  
Today had been an awful, downright stormy affair. But a silver lining like this made it more than worthwhile. 


End file.
